Blue Moon Winter Abbey Ale - Coors Brewing Company

Carlton1964

New York

3.36/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

Nice looking brew with a nice lacing effect. VERY nice smell....kinda had a holiday feeling just upon smelling this stuff. Tasting it was very pleasant at first, but the spicy effects were a little overwhelming as I got closer to the end of the bottle. Some may like this, but a little went a long way with me. Worth a try if you like unique spicy brews. Left a pleasant spicy taste in mouth.

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2013 03:20:14 | More by Carlton1964

flyingpig

United Kingdom (Scotland)

3.3/5  rDev +8.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.25

Bottle from Utobeer, Borough Market, London (355ml, £2.50):
Dark brown colour with a thin, half centimetre tall and bubbly head that settles to a thin, patchy lacing on top of the beer after about a minute.

Light caramel malts and a very sweet aroma with a few toffee notes and some sugar. There is a lot of spice coming through and a nutty aroma near the end.

Spicy and a stronger caramel taste to begin with, there is some sweetness shinning through and a nutty base with some darker fruits in there to. I could detect a small amount of wheat and a light bitter finish.

Light bodied and a little thin but nothing major, the carbonation was medium and the beer was very sweet with a bit of spice thrown in too.

Fairly ordinary although not bad, however it was a little too sweet and started to become slightly sickening nearer the end. I'd stick to the original if I was you but it wasn't enough to put me off seeking out other Blue Moon varieties in future.

Serving type: bottle

04-30-2013 21:06:15 | More by flyingpig

tronester

Oklahoma

2.91/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.75

Pours a clear brown, with an almost non-existent head. aromas of lightly roasted grain. Taste begins with some brown sugar, then some licorice, then an astringent grain finish. Light mouthfeel. Overall this is just not that good of a beer. It doesnt taste that much like a Dubbel, but even for a quasi brown ale its pretty watery.

Serving type: bottle

04-20-2013 23:37:12 | More by tronester

LCB_Hostage

Pennsylvania

3.08/5  rDev +1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

This is my first experience with one of Coors' Blue Moon products and I'm actually not as disappointed as I expected to be. Someone had brought this to my house knowing that I like "good beers" and it sat in my fridge for a month or so. I figured it was time to open it and either drink or drain-pour it.

It isn't something I'd go out looking to buy, but I've definitely been at parties where all the options were way worse than this. My main criticism would be that, true to Blue Moon's rep, this is a little thin. But given that I'm not a huge Belgian aficionado, I'm not someone who would be overly offended by a "lite" take on the style.

Overall, this was a reasonably crisp, refreshing quaff with enough character to distinguish it from typical BMC offerings. It was malty with enough bite to keep it from being overly sweet (and this coming from a serious hophead). You could do worse.

Serving type: bottle

04-19-2013 17:12:39 | More by LCB_Hostage

secondtooth

Indiana

3.04/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pours a ruddy amber, with average head. Lace is spoke/web-like.

Nose is caramel-toffee malts. Fair enough.

Taste is heavily malted, as well, with a hint of the Belgian candy sugar and a little spice. Still, the toffee-caramel notes ride highest here. Not very representative of a Belgian abbey ale in the least, but drinkable enough, and probably a nice place for a less-discerning palate to start with "craft-like" beer.

Points off, though, for being a really disappointing example of the style.

Serving type: bottle

04-06-2013 01:19:51 | More by secondtooth

UCLABrewN84

California

3.13/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Best by 4/15/13.

Pours a clear copper with a foamy khaki head that settles to an oily film on top of the beer. Foamy streaks of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of toasted malt and caramel aromas. Taste is much the same with a malty flavor on the finish. There is a mild amount of roasty bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a good level of carbonation with a crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is an average beer that is drinkable but pretty one dimensional with emphasis on malty aromas and flavors.

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2013 01:31:00 | More by UCLABrewN84

duchat

New Jersey

3.63/5  rDev +19%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

I don't quite see why there are so many negative reviews for this beer, as I found it rather enjoyable overall.

There is a large head for an dubbel ale, that settles down to a good and substantial carbonation.

The taste was surprisingly sweet for an ale, almost as sweet as Mackeson Stout, arguably the sweetest non-fruit based beer. I could see finding it hard to drink more than one or two of these, as the result could become a bit cloyingly sweet, with a strong molasses-like quality.

Mouth feel is on the lighter side for a dubbel ale, but not unexpected for a cheap domestic.

Overall a decent, very drinkable beer, great for those who don't like their beer to taste bitter, sharp or skunky.

Serving type: bottle

03-11-2013 19:30:20 | More by duchat

mactrail

California

2.66/5  rDev -12.8%
look: 3.25 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 2.5

The first sign of trouble was the spew when I cracked the twist-off. Fortunately I was using a towell so I had a handy wipe. The coppery color is nice, and it has a foamy head with a full carbonated mouthfeel. These guys know how to get the bubbles right.

The smell is musty and woody with a hint of sweet vermouth. I taste wintergreen rather strongly along with bubblegum. Surprisingly sweet and simple. I don't see how this can be classified as a Dubbel, but that's how I'll rate it. I'd call it a Red Ale, but maybe there is a tang of Belgian yeast in it. It tastes like I remember Killians Red. There is an odd, bitterish aftertaste, like burnt raisins and something from that trunk in the basement.

I would avoid this, whatever it is. I don't remember it being so unpleasant when I bought a six a few years ago, but then I never bought another one. From the 12 oz bottle, a single I picked up.

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2013 03:38:24 | More by mactrail

Dodo2step

Pennsylvania

2.64/5  rDev -13.4%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

P- Thanks to Ray in Pittsburgh for this beer.

A- a mahogany color wtih tints of red/cooper tones. Foamy head that is about 2 fingers but doesnt have staying power and has poor lacing.

S- vanilla and malt tones. thats pretty much it.

T- vanilla comes out in the tongue but pretty bland overall in taste

M- Very light and i was expecting something heavier. Doesnt match well.

O- Coors is a weak brewery when it comes to micros and this brew just reaffirms that for me.

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2013 22:39:19 | More by Dodo2step

Seekerpilgrim

Washington

3.51/5  rDev +15.1%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

The Winter Abbey Ale pours a brilliant caramel color, while on the nose you get a nutty, burnt sugar aroma...not surprising, as they use dark Belgian candi (yes, that's how THEY spell it) sugar in the recipe. Heavy in the mouth, while on the tongue a strong nutty attack, followed by a darker sweetness reminiscent of molasses, and a slightly creamy finish, all balanced with just enough hop bitterness to prevent it from being too sugary.

This is a great winter beer, perfect for sitting around a fireplace and enjoying great conversation, the beer equivalent of Sherry or Port. Food recommendations include heavy stews and chocolate based desserts, but I suggest just savorying it on it's own. Cheers!

Serving type: bottle

01-22-2013 02:00:39 | More by Seekerpilgrim

pmcadamis

Illinois

3.11/5  rDev +2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3

A - Slightly hay, but mostly clear brew. Wood varnish in color... slightly reddish brown. Nice thick and foamy head but not a whole lotta lace.

S - Odd. Bubblegum, nutmeg, allspice, and ginger. This is definitely going for the "Christmas spice" vibe. Not a lot of yeasty aromas that should come with the "Abbey" moniker.

T - A little more malty than the purely spice based nose. Thin chocolate malt up front, followed by a dry nutmeg and allspice finish.

M - Good balance of malt and spice, but it's a little thin. Boring but could be sessionable if you can find it on tap when there is nothing better available. Blue Moon seasonal brews tend to be ubiquitous at any decent restaurant around my neck of the woods.

This is like a store-bought Christmas gingerbread cookie. You can't honestly say that it doesn't taste good, but it sure ain't the same as Grandma's fresh from the oven recipe.

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2013 06:59:14 | More by pmcadamis

garymuchow

Minnesota

2.49/5  rDev -18.4%
look: 3.25 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.75

Big full tan head with bubbles that aren't all that dense and not leaving much for lacing. Quite clear dark amber.
A really neutral aroma that has a soft am. lager year character. No real malt to speak of.
Kind of a crunchy malt character that is a lot closer to an English ale than a dubbel. Just a hint of a Belgian yeast character. Soft hop flavors. No discernible alcohol quality (not that I'd expect it with this abv, but it should be in a dubbel so I thought I'd note it). No drying on the finish.
Thin body for style. Soft carbonation that is filling.
This isn't a horrible drink, it's just not a dubbel. But it also isn't that great either.

Serving type: bottle

01-17-2013 02:24:14 | More by garymuchow

lwillitz

Florida

3.43/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

12-oz bottle into New Belgium globe

A - a finger and a half of light tan above a transparent body of red amber; moderate carbonation

S - caramel sweetness, wheat

T - lots of malt sweetness (notes of caramel and brown sugar), dark fruits, wheat bread; sweet malty finish

M - smooth medium body with biting carbonation

O - Not bad. The taste lacks somewhat in complexity.

Serving type: bottle

01-09-2013 21:31:12 | More by lwillitz

TempeBeerMan

Arizona

3.43/5  rDev +12.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a bottle into a chalice.

A - Pours a clear, dark ruby-brown with a two-finger head of creamy foam. Small amounts of clumpy lacing.

S - Ok, this actually smells decent. Sweet caramel malt foward. Slight soapy hint, which flaws an otherwise good nose.

T - Candied caramel malt forward, with hints of brown sugar and vanilla. Some cinnamon in the mid-palate. Slighty spicy hops detectable in the background, but no lingering hop presence. A hint of metallic twang in the finish, but not enough to be distracting. Spice and hop choice actually complement the base beer nicely. Not complex, but the one note you get is pretty good.

M - Higher end of medium bodied, with prickly carbonation. Manages to be thick and sweet without being truly syrupy.

O - Hmm...BMC product. Not supposed to like this, right? Then how come I found this to be pretty decent? Man, if it wasnt for a few minor flaws, this would be really good. As is, it's definitely drinkable, and better than it's competition. (SA Winter Lager) Would gladly drink again if someone handed me one.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2013 23:45:30 | More by TempeBeerMan

bnes09

Illinois

1.78/5  rDev -41.6%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

Dark mahogany, transparent brew with weak head. Aroma of cinnamon, nutmeg and caramel without any yeast character. Weak flavor of lightly toasted wheat bread and brown rice. Overwhelming cinnamon and nutmeg. Light body and over-carbonated. I don't understand where they get the idea to call this an Abbey ale. Has none of the subtle complexities of a well crafted Belgian beer. Weak malt character and too many spices. Avoid.

Serving type: bottle

12-31-2012 04:38:48 | More by bnes09

JEdmund

Kansas

3.75/5  rDev +23%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

***I reviewed this as simply a winter seasonal beer, not a dubbel. I had no idea it was supposed to be a dubbel.***

Rich garnet body and a really nice, creamy cap. Clear with good bubbles streaming.

Sweet and bready malts offer an inviting aroma.

Flavor same as aroma, with a nearly all-malt profile. Slight toffee, fruit, dough, and a little bit of herbal hop bite in the finish. Light bodied and smooth.

Easy, enjoyable drinking winter beer! Love the lack of holiday spices and high ABV. Pretty surprised by how good this is.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2012 16:37:44 | More by JEdmund

emerge077

Illinois

2.85/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Poured into a pint glass, it's a transparent dark copper color, with a thin head that becomes pock-marked with evaporating bubbles that soon fade to thin thread of bubbles around the edges of the glass.

Faint caramel and yeast esters, pretty marginal though.

Malt sweetness, lightly grainy and nutty, some raisin, apple, and caramel notes. Light bodied, more a single than a dubbel. Light to medium bodied, carb seems faint. Overall a little one note and basic. A more expressive Belgian yeast strain would improve it greatly.

Thanks for the freebie Nick!

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2012 00:29:23 | More by emerge077

flexabull

California

2.83/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Christmas Party leftover.

Pours a bright and clear amber color with a decent off white head.

Aromas are dusty, with very light Belgian yeast, faint banana, spices, and a vegetal note. Odd, and not very pleasant.

Taste is dusty, spicy and dry. Finish has an off nutty and vegetal note, with some light baked apple.

Mouthfeel is decent, light, some creamy and smooth with light body.

Overall, a flawed beer that isn't that bad, but it's certainly not anything I want to purchase. Ok if left in your fridge after a party though.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2012 06:27:13 | More by flexabull

NilocRellim

Minnesota

3.13/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

The beer came on tap, served in a tall glass and rimmed with a cocoa poweder/sugar mix. The ale had a red amber colour to it with a reduced tan/cream head. Good clarity. There was slightly sweet nose, but the smell was mostly muted. Tasted like a belgian-style ale; no lingering aftertaste... not bad, but average.

Would I buy this beer again? Probably not.

Serving type: on-tap

12-29-2012 03:56:55 | More by NilocRellim

RickS95

Indiana

2.53/5  rDev -17%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

A mostly brown pour with a bit of copper thrown in. A bit too clear for my liking, but the attractive head makes up for it. Offwhite, a mixture of different-sized bubbles, and good retention. Slight lace with each swirl.

Some caramel scents, but nothing aggressive. Just nothing stands out. I've swirled it, let it warm and touched my nose to the bubbles, there's so little scent it barely registers.

A combination of pilsner and caramel malts and little else. Some generic spicy flavor that likely comes from the wheat.

A bit sweet, a bit spicy, a bit hot, slightly tangy. It's kind of complex, but not really in a way that works. I'm left with a stickiness on my tongue after each swallow that I can't get rid of.

This gives dubbels (it's so not a real dubbel) and abbey ales a bad name. Overall, it's not really sure what kind of beer it wants to be.

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2012 04:15:04 | More by RickS95

TheSixthRing

California

2.93/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Appearance - Pours a clear, rusty color with an off-white, 2 finger head. Poor retention. Lace is minimal with no stick.

Smell - Sweet aroma. Caramel, brown sugar and a slight vanilla.

Taste - Light on flavor. What's there comes across with bready sweetness, caramel, brown sugar and a touch of vanilla on the back end.

Mouthfeel - Light to medium body. Fair carbonation. Too thin for the style.

Overall - As a beer in and of itself, it's decent. As a belgian, it's a total failure. Weak, underdeveloped flavors. A body that's not right for the style. No effort in making a true Belgian with this one, only a beer that will appeal to the masses, and you do that by minimizing flavor while cutting down on the body.

Serving type: bottle

12-18-2012 02:28:00 | More by TheSixthRing

Hendy011

Pennsylvania

3.45/5  rDev +13.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

A - Red-brown with a finger head, fades over a short time, no lacing
S - Carmelly malt, sweet, a little fruity
T - Tastes like it smells, sweet, with a little vanilla flavor, pleasant toffee aftertaste
M - Some carbonation, not too much
O - Pleasantly surprised, will get again.

Serving type: bottle

12-14-2012 07:39:12 | More by Hendy011

laramis

South Carolina

3.08/5  rDev +1%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A: poured a reddish brown with a quarter inch head, no lacing

S: it was a pleasant mix of bread and malts, some seasonal scents, a very nice aroma

T: similar to smell very malty, i don't mind a sweet flavor but the after taste seemed to sweet and the flavor while similar to the scent was not as good

M: pretty average some carbination, not a suprising feel from a macro-owned brewery

O: this was an average beer, not bad not good i would drink it again if it was offered but i would not seek it out

Serving type: bottle

11-29-2012 05:20:41 | More by laramis

tigg924

Massachusetts

3.45/5  rDev +13.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: 1/2 inch head, brownish-red in color, clear, moderate carbonation

Smell: bread, toffee, and holiday spices

Taste: bread, toffee, and holiday spices--there is some dark fruit and caramel as the beer warms

Mouthfeel: sweet with slight bitterness, high carbonation, light bodied

Overall: There are way better dubbels out there no doubt. That said, this is not a bad beer and would make an excellent introduction to craft beer..It may be the best of the seasonal moon beers I have had. If I was looking for a cheap dubbel that I could have several of during a game, I would pick this up.

Serving type: bottle

11-27-2012 15:15:48 | More by tigg924

scratch69

Missouri

2.83/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

I poured a bottle into tulip glass.

Appearance- Clear brown-amber color with a half a fingers worth of quickly disappearing head. Hardly any lacing.

Smell- Strong aroma of toasted bread with caramel malt and bitter hops notes.

Taste- Caramel malt flavor with some hop bitterness toward the finish. After taste is too sweet.

Mouthfeel- On the light side of medium bodied with a below average amount of carbonation.

Overall- Not very good. I am glad I only purchased this as part of a pick-six pack instead of a whole six pack. It had a good aroma but was a total disappointment after that.

Serving type: bottle

11-21-2012 19:59:44 | More by scratch69